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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

ANOTHER FIRE & A TRIP TO MARCH AIR FORCE MUSEUM

Sunday, June 9

On the northern portion of the Morongo Indian Reservation, is a fire burning in steep, rugged terrain.  All is located in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, not far for I 10 here in southern California.

John and I spotted this fire as we were on our way from our campsite here in the Desert Sky RV park in Hemit, CA.    

The fire had just started and was just a pillar of white smoke in the mountains.  We, being totally inexperienced with California wildfires were not sure that it was just that.   At least until we arrived at Jojo's home in Menefee, where she confirmed our guess.

The area of smoke grew as the afternoon began to drift to the evening hours.  The blue balloon indicates our position, and you can see where the fire is located.  

Last evening, as we returned from Jojo's, about thirty minutes away, the orange glow from the top of the mountain range grew larger by each mile we came closer to Hemet.  

Thank goodness the wind is blowing the smoke away from us, therefore not threatening John's breathing.  

Another thing to be so thankful for is that this is not a habituated area.  No buildings, livestock or homeowners are in the path of this fire, thus far.  

On another note,  the pergola and the area around the waterfall are beginning to take shape.  A few rocks were placed around the waterfall/filter box and it was exciting to see what this area could become.  

When I owned my water garden design, building and supply business, I had the final word on what rock went where and how the pond would look in the end.  Now, I make suggestions.  If they are accepted, good.  If they are rebuffed...that is beginning to be okay too.  It is soooo hard to not be in control.  

Jojo has her own ideas. That is good!  They are great ideas!  I just can't squeeze inside her head to see what she envisions. Maybe a mom is not supposed to do that?  

All of this interaction is a positive experience for me though.  I am learning much about being a mom of adult children.  I need all the practice I can get...It is not easy for a control freak!

Tuesday, June 11

The fire has grown and now the smoke is blowing toward Jojo's home making it harmful for both Jojo and John to be breathing smoky air.  We have postponed our work day.  



We seem to be smoke free here.  Hopefully John will retrieve our Coleman Road Trip Classic Grill so that I can fix our veggie burgers, grilled mushrooms, onions, pepper and potatoes.  OH yum, now I am getting hungry. 


 


Last Saturday, we all took a day off pergola work and traveled to Riverside to visit the March Field  museum where they have over seventy historic aircraft 


including the SR-71 "Blackbird", the world's fastest jet and the B-17 "Flying Fortress".  Artifacts date back to 1918 to the present.  


SR-71 "Blackbird", the world's fastest jet

I have really hate war and these airplanes are a symbol of war to me.  

My cousin lost her husband in Vietnam and every time I go to one of these places, I think of  how many lives are lost and families are
put into turmoil over the loss of loved brothers, sisters, wives, fathers, mothers, etc that are forever ripped from  them forever.  


I know, wars are inevitable.  We as a nation must protect our land.  And because humanity is selfish, this will not end until the end of time.

To say that John and I are thankful for the men and women to have and will serve and protect the United States seems to be, in a way, trite-too small.

When we were living in Indiana in our sticks and bricks, we lived close to Edinburgh, Indiana where Camp Atterbury is located.  Many of the troops would come close by to shop.  We would always greet them with a "thank you for your service."    


 Phil Dahl...this one is for you!  The minute I saw this Coast Guard Plane, I thought of you and your service.  And how crummy getting medical treatment is such as difficult time for you.  Veterans should never have to jump through hoops like you have since I have been reading your blog.  

I am on a soap box here, ya think?  Before I step down (or am pushed off), I am going to address one more terrible situation that we all should be up in arms about.
Imagine sitting here with enemy approaching.

That is the mental health system for our service men who return from horrific battles, injuries, stress, etc.

The suicide rate in unconscionable.  What is our government thinking? Each and every return soldier and their families should have the freedom to receive mental health care without the stigma of being "weak" and unable to continue their service, if they choose.


My uncle was a retired Major General in the USAF.  When we visited him in the summer, this is what I was greeted when he came home for "the office."  He looked larger than life to me!  





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18 comments:

  1. Keep a close eye on that fire. That is way too close to you guys. We're in Guernsey, WY today and it's 101 degrees - record heat. So glad we left AZ, you know. I cannot be around my son for too long before I go into "mother" mode. Hard to let them be adults and not our children some times.

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    1. So you have the weather hex to! In Arizona, they said it had never been that cold for that long. Here you are in WY where you are supposed to feeling the "cool" and we are in CA where it is supposed have "June gloom" with cooler temperatures....nope, we both have hot, hot temps.

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  2. Beautiful header photo.

    I have to learn to step back and only speak when spoken to when the kids do something. I keep forgetting they are 29 and 28.

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  3. I have never been as close to a wildfire as you are...so I van only imagine how it is....quite helpless to say the least.

    Our sticks and bricks was close to Columbus, GA and Ft. Benning. We always thanked the uniformed soldiers we saw too...

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  4. We are not terribly close and in no danger. If we were, we would pull up the jacks and get the heck outta Dodge!

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  5. I've got to get to the Riverside air museum one day. We see the smoke from the Morongo fire every day...it is now drifting over the Coachella Valley. By the way, it's "HEMET"...I got my first horse, Sunni, from Hemet.

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  6. We just had a wildfire break out here in the western section of Rocky Mountain National Park! It began yesterday afternoon with a lightning strike, only two acres until this afternoon. We were in town early afternoon after our hike and a huge plume of smoke was rising over Estes Park. The fire restarted and is much bigger but under control tonight. We can really smell it and the smoke is covering the mountains to one side of us. Right now our hiking destination for tomorrow is smokey. We need plan "B."

    Hope the smoke continues to blow away from you. Be safe!

    I, also, have that mothering problem! But then so does my 82 year old mother!!! Guess things never change:)

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  7. I worry about fire every year.

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  8. I hope the smoke from the fires stay away. Great photos of the air museum. I'm originally from Indianapolis, Indiana! ;-)

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  9. Keeping and eye on those fires is good.
    And cooking anything on a grill is awesome.

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  10. I love going to air museums and checking out the old planes, new planes and all kinds of planes.

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  11. Oh, Brother do I know how hard it is to stay out of the "kids" business! My son has been married nearly 20 yrs and I think I have just now learned to "stay out of things" and let him handle things his own way. It just seems that so often MY ideas seem so much better...LOL. But I hear via the "grapevine" that you and John have been a huge help with the pond and pergola. I can't wait to see them!

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  12. I was born at March AFB Hospital, which I understand has been leveled for a number of years. I didn't know they had a museum there.....thank you!! Might have to put this on our list of stops if we get back out west again.

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  13. I never did get a chance yo tour March. I love looking at the planes. Keep an eye on the fires!

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  14. Thank you for the nice picture of the Grumman Albatross, the Coast Guard used them up until around 1972. They nicknamed them the "Goat". Glad to see one so nicely preserved. :c)

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  15. Southern California wildfires are an annual summer threat, fueled by the fierce Santa Ana winds. Hope you are out of harm's way. Understanding adult children can be as much of a challenge as when they were teenagers. They just don't understand that I'm usually right...haha!

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